Second Chances
by FireFox1313
Summary: L Lawliet died at the hands of Kira... until suddenly time is reversed and he gets a second chance at victory. Using a young intern as his stand-in, L makes a plan to change the past to ensure that Kira perishes. Just how will he pull it off?
1. A Second Chance at Victory

As L stared helplessly into those scorching red eyes, the truth became apparent to him. Light Yagami was in fact Kira. From the very beginning, L was right.

Alas, none of that mattered anymore. It was too late for L to save the world. He was currently being held in the arms of a killer, the one who led him to his demise. Arrogant, egotistical, a human who believed he could be god of the new world; Light Yagami was all of these things. However, these traits would soon return to haunt him in the future, but, for now, he soaked himself in victory.

Rem had written down L's name, sentencing both of them to their deaths. In Light's case, this meant getting rid of two obstacles that stood in his way.

"Ryuzaki!" Matsuda called, watching the scene unfold with panic. "What's wrong?!"

The struggle to stay alive was useless on L's part, and he knew how to tell when it was time for him to give up. But part of him desired to keep fighting because, if he was gone, how would everyone know he had been right all along?

Suddenly the door burst open, and Aiko Maki appeared. A section of her dark brown hair was pulled back and clipped while the rest dangled around her flushed face. Her oversized pastel blue sweater and jeans made her seem normal, but she was actually one of them.

The second she saw L in Light's arms, her feet acted without consent, guiding her to the detective's side. "What's going on?!" she breathed, fists clenched as she analyzed the situation.

She didn't need to ask. It was clear enough, at least in Light's opinion. "H-He just fell out of his chair," explained young Yagami, sharp eyes lingering on the detective. "Ryuzaki, come on, stay with me!"

Panic swelling her body, Aiko attempted to remain calm, even though it felt like the world was falling apart right before her eyes. Resting the palm of her right hand on the floor on the right side of L, the brunette leaned over and hovered above L's face.

As the detective stared up at her, he realized that her eyes were much kinder and gentler than his opponent's. Instead of arrogance, he noted concern, none of which was coming from Light at all. Why? Because Light didn't care, and Aiko did.

It was a pleasant thing to die seeing, L concluded. The bright, tender face of Aiko, her worried, warm eyes staring down at him. She was even on the brink of tears. How is it that this intern made L smile just as he closed his eyes for one last time?

The world may never know.

 **5… 4… 3… 2… 1… 0**

Time was up…

 **0…**

Or was it?

 **1… 2… 3… 4…** **5…**

The bells… he had heard them. Those eyes… they were evil, and he had stared straight into them. His heartbeat… he had felt it, slowly counting down like a clock.

The clock stopped, frozen in time. Then, it began ticking backwards. Slowly at first, like the rusting of a creaky gate. Next in rapid motions of unstoppable speed, time itself was shifting and changing all because of one person.

L Lawliet.

The next time he opened his eyes, he wasn't gazing into the bright clouds or golden streets of heaven, but instead, he was looking at a ceiling. Quite a mundane thing, sure, but astoundingly abnormal to said detective.

Shifting his weight, he instantly realized he was lying down on a bed. Not just any bed- he was in his hotel room. Everything seemed… the same. Wrappers of candies and sweets littered the floor, his half empty cup of tea sitting on the nightstand.

It should have been normal. This entire situation… his death had just been a dream- a nightmare- he received when he dozed off. Except for one thing: L never sleeps. More accurately, he never enjoyed sleeping on the job, especially when the monster Kira was still on the loose. It was a rare phenomenon for L to close his eyes for more than an hour, yet, it felt like he'd been sleeping for ages.

The memories were still wrapped around his brain, swirling like a hurricane inside his head. Misa Amane… Higuchi… the Death Note… the Shinigami… killing a person just by looking at their face and writing their name in the notebook… Kira… Light… Kira is Light, and Light is Kira.

He paused in his own storm of thoughts. _Watari._ Scrambling up from the bed, L swiftly moved across the room despite the numbness in his limbs from sleeping too long. Making his way down the hallway, the detective silently passed the main room and entered the kitchen to find a certain old man pouring a cup of freshly brewed tea.

Freezing in his tracks, L watched motionlessly until the elderly man glanced up at him, a warm smile crossing his lips. "Ah, there you are Ryuzaki. I've just made some tea for you." His voice was just as firm and heartwarming as the detective remembered.

It was then that L wished to embrace his mentor, but he was unsure of how that would make Watari feel. Nevertheless, would it be appropriate for L of all people to initiate that sort of physical contact?

Something about L caught Watari's eye, making his lower the pot of tea to the counter. "Ryuzaki, is something the matter?"

Where had he seen this situation before? Oh, right.

Slouching across the elderly man in his wrinkly white shirt and baggy jeans, L had not noticed the tears staining his dark eyes. However, it was obvious that even the great L had emotions that could not be contained. _I am rather childish_ the raven reminded himself.

However, he couldn't reveal the fact that he assumed he had just died, can he? Would his mentor even believe him? _I must be thinking too hard on this_ decided L. _Surely it isn't possible that I just experienced my death._

Clearing his throat, the detective finally looked Watari in the eyes. "I just… had a nightmare. That's all." He was being quite truthful- a world where he dies and Kira lives would truly be Hell on earth.

The old man's face wrinkled nostalgically as he smiled tenderly at L. Watari could easily remember L's younger years, when he would have nightmares quite often. Whenever this happened, Watari would always make hot chocolate for the both of them, then sit with L and reminisce with stories about his lifetime experiences. This always seemed to calm the young boy down.

By now, L had heard Watari's life story a million times (at least the parts Watari allowed him to hear). Yes, there was only one thing Watari could think of at the moment that L looked like he needed the most, no matter what the reason.

Stepping forward, the elderly man wrapped his strong, comforting arms around the young one, squeezing him ever so slightly. At the touch of his mentor, L seemed to withdraw from anxiety. _Watari is… not dead._

After a solid minute or two, the old man pulled away, his tender face gazing at his young pupil, the boy he raised ever since he came to the orphanage. "Make sure you don't work yourself too hard, alright? As your mentor and assistant, it is my duty to look after you." He hesitated before adding the last part. "And as your father figure, I want the best for you, and I want you to be happy."

It was a lot for L to absorb, but he did so quickly, allowing himself to reveal a small smile. "Thank you, Watari. I promise I will look after myself. However, don't forget to do the same for yourself."

Both males exchanged amusing, sincere looks before stepping away. Watari returned to preparing the tea, and L spun around to attempt to sort things out in his head. _A nightmare about… my death?_

"By the way, Watari," L spoke up, his back facing the old man. "What is the date as of today?"

This was an odd question coming from the world's greatest detective. But Watari ignored the abnormality of the speculation and replied, "It's December 31st." He does not ask why.

"What do I have planned then?" L inquired quickly.

"The Japanese Task Force should be meeting with you tonight," replied Watari, setting down the pot once again. "The six members should be arriving sometime around midnight."

The detective's heartbeat suddenly skyrocketed. _No… this isn't right. This has already happened. I have already been through this. It is a 99% certainty that this has in fact happened before._

Back in his room, L crouched on his bed, thumb to his lips and eyes scanning the scenery out the window. According to the current timeline, he hasn't even met the Task Force yet. Not Light. Not Misa. Not Higuchi. Hasn't even touched a Death Note.

 _Everything feels… real. This isn't a dream, and my other memories aren't a dream either._ Everything that L experienced was real, even his death. This… this whole thing is a miracle. A second life. His second chance.

Kira's reign of terror was just beginning. Now L had a second chance to stop him.

* * *

The first, and probably most crucial, change was not allowing himself to appear to the public. Even showing himself to the Task Force was now a dangerous risk.

He discussed this with Watari before the others arrived, revealing the fact that he had gained a whole new mindset on the entire matter. The ways things proceeded from here on out would be different, unusual, and even strange.

But L had a plan. He was going to do whatever it takes to make sure Kira loses, and he wins.

First off, he needed a stand-in. Someone who could pretend to be the real L for the rest of the investigation. After that, if everything worked out well, was another story that would have to be thought out, but not at the moment.

Watari wasn't exactly who he was looking for- besides, L decided that he didn't want to risk losing his mentor once again and experience the panic that had overwhelmed him.

He needed someone who wouldn't mind giving up their entire lives to fill in for him and pretend to be the real L. To be thrown directly into the middle of the deadly Kira case and put one's life on the line to save the world.

Where the heck would he find someone like that?

* * *

 **Hello my lovely readers! So, I got this cool idea some time ago and decided to write it out... here it is! I'm still not sure how I plan on this going. If you guys like it, I might actually continue posting, if not then I'll just make it a oneshot. Updates won't be frequent since I'm currently invested in my Blue Exorcist fanfic, but nonetheless I will not give up on this if you don't want me to.**

 **Comments, questions, concerns? Leave them in the review box below and tell me what you think! Until next time! ~**


	2. The Next Step

Before the Kira case, Aiko Maki was just a normal high school student, following in her father's footsteps in the law enforcement career. Being the admired police officer he was, it was clear that he would be his daughter's prime example when it came to her career choice.

Thus, when the NPA announced that they had an opening for an internship position, Aiko's fate was sealed. The moment the 18-year-old sent in her application, the white canvas of her destiny was splattered with bright colors of change, no longer leaving her future exposed like an open book.

So much can happen in a year that makes it feel like a lifetime has passed. New relationships, a variety of problems, overcoming fears, etc… In the year that Aiko Maki was an intern, she experienced love, hate, laughter, depression, anxiety, and fear.

In the time that L had been working the Kira case, his emotions were sealed in a glass bottle that even Watari, his mentor, rarely laid eyes upon. The detective was an emotionless puppet master on the outside.

In that aspect, Aiko and L are very different. Aiko has a looser grip on her outward emotions, not caring to express how she felt unless it was too personal or private. L harbored his darkest feelings within him so no one could see how he truly felt. Overall, the team only actually witnessed his frustration, childishness, and relentlessness (fear as well but that was only a smidge during the moment of the Shinigami discover).

However, Aiko had a certain power. No matter the situation, or how stoic the detective seemed, she could see right through him. His internal frustration, anxiety, confusion, disgust, and loneliness. Yeah… loneliness…

Because of this power (and, let's be honest, her high IQ level), L chose her. Stricken with a million thoughts coursing through his brain, L pondered his next move before his time ran out. To avoid being caught by Kira, he couldn't be seen… by anyone. This had originally been his plan, but some unexpected events forced him to take drastic measures.

The second time around, however, he would not make the same mistake. Then again, he was sure the Shinigami had done away with him- since Light had been in the room with him, it was impossible for the brunet to have written L's name in the notebook. It was either the Shinigami or Misa, but L was sure it was the Shinigami.

Anyway, if he wanted to win the game, he would have to be invisible, a ghost in the flesh, a mystery unknown to the world. To do this, he would need a stand-in.

That person being Aiko Maki.

* * *

It's not the first time that L had ordered the kidnapping of a young woman, not in his memories at least. However, time was of the essence.

The brown haired intern was just getting off work, strolling down the sidewalk back to her apartment. Fortunately for L, the dark was an advantage, a cover to hide the brisk encounter between the girl and Watari.

When the elderly man returned with the passed-out girl (due to chloroform), L directed him to his bedroom instead of the interrogation room. The old assistant disappeared into another room, leaving L alone with the girl.

To the detective's relief, it didn't take long for her to awake, rubbing her forehead with handcuffed hands. Blindfolded, she steadied her breathing, silently listening to the atmosphere around her.

L sat like a rock as his eyes studied her, wondering if she could tell if he was there or not. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she slowly sat up, her tight grey skirt squeezing her legs. Her white button-up shirt and grey suit jacket were wrinkled due to her previous struggling.

"Hello?" she finally spoke up, her voice just as soft and gentle as the detective remembered. "I-I can hear breathing. I know someone else is in here… Is-is there something you want from me?"

Intelligent- L noted- and always straight to the point. Aiko never wasted time in a critical situation. To most, she looks plain and innocent, especially so when she speaks. But L knows never to judge a book by its cover.

As her voice echoed off the walls, the raven slowly moved his legs off the chair, carefully making his way to the bed. Aiko heard his shuffling, and froze with uncertainty as he meticulously removed the handcuffs with his key. Then, firmly but gently, he slipped off the blindfold to allow her vision.

When the blindfold fell, a pair of ocean blue eyes connected with his dark ones. At the sight of the familiar intern, L could have hugged her (but he refrained, knowing these urges would be completely out of character for the world's greatest detective and emotionless genius). If only she could remember him and all that's happened, then he wouldn't feel so singled out, so… alone.

A string of words formed in his mind, and he was about to ask her if she knew who he was when something soft and squishy whacked him in the face, sending him stumbling sideways off the bed and onto his feet.

Pushing herself off the bed, Aiko made a break for the door- until she tripped in her high heels and landed butt first onto the carpet. It only took L a second to realize that the object he had been hit with was a pillow.

"Awww," the brunette on the floor whined, wincing, "that hurt!" Glancing back at L, who stared at her curiously from his standing position, her face grew a bright red and she buried her head between her knees. "So… mortifying…"

The detective had to remind himself how the Kira investigation had changed her because, in some aspects, it was hard to belief the younger Aiko was the same girl. This one seemed unsure and clumsy, but the other was determined and would have definitely beaten the crap out of any guy who kidnapped her.

As stated before, a year can change a person. Aiko Maki and Light Yagami were examples of this.

"You are not used to wearing high heels," the detective observed aloud, returning to a crouching position on his chair. "You will someday."

"Sure…" Aiko's voice was both unconvincing and confused. "Who are you and why am I here?"

Now it was L's turn to be blunt and straight to the point. "I am L. You are here because I have chosen you to be my public stand-in." His eyes were locked with hers, both of their bodies as unwavering and motionless as the atmosphere between them.

After a moment, Aiko laughed bitterly as she dropped her gaze to her shoes. "All right then, this is definitely a scam. You can't be serious, can you?" He opened his mouth to answer, but Aiko cut him off. "Never mind, don't answer that. Can I just go home please?"

The great detective blinked curiously. "I am not lying Aiko-chan-"

"How do you know my name?" she questioned, furrowing her eyebrows with concern. "And what's with the whole '-chan' thing? I don't… I don't even know you."

L knew only saying that would confuse her more, but he did so anyway. "The great L knows all," he deadpanned.

This gained a laugh from the brunette. "Right, the great L." Feeling more relaxed, Aiko reached down and slipped off her high heels. "I hate to break it to you Mr. L, but nowadays people don't just rely on someone else's words. You need proof."

She looked up at him patiently, curious about his next move. How would he prove it to her? He debated on telling her everything he knew about herself, but he wasn't trying to prove that he'd already lived through this time before, yet.

On cue, Watari opened the door, as if he had been expecting this. "Ah Watari," L greeted in his casual monotonous tone. "Would you like to show Ms. Maki some proof that I am who I say I am?"

"My pleasure, sir." He aided the girl in her attempts to move in the tight skirt, then led her out of the room. L assumed that he was probably showing her something along the lines of his business with the government or NPA, maybe even the ID of Watari himself.

Either way, when she returned to the room alone, she sat on the bed and tightly hugged a nearby pillow. "Okay, I believe you." Meeting his eyes, a smile fell upon her soft lips. "And let me just say, I'm impressed."

Yep, definitely some government reports or previous case files. "Thank you. Now that we are on the same page, I would like to ask you for your answer."

Tilting her head, Aiko frowned in confusion. "My answer…?" It took her a moment. "Oh, you mean the stand-in thing? You were serious about that?"

Of course he was serious. If he wasn't then he would not have mentioned it. "Indeed. After some extensive research-" in the fridge "-I have concluded that you would be a suitable fit as my social substitute."

"There's always a catch," she replied, avoiding the answer but maintaining eye contact. "What strings are attached with this?"

A small smirk etched the pale detective's mouth. "Ah, I see you are sharp. Of course, there are some side effects to becoming the great L." Aiko waited for him to continue. "All of your private and public records will be destroyed. After you complete this last month of high school you will take To-Oh University classes if you so desire to continue your education in law. These classes of course will be online so your schooling does not interfere with your schedule as the leading detective in the Kira investigation. Not only will you stay an intern at the NPA, but I will mentor you into becoming a prominent, skilled detective."

Aiko's eyes were as wide as saucers, her head getting dizzy as she absorbed all the information. Rubbing her eyes underneath her black framed glasses, she chuckled bitterly. "I… I only ever planned to be a secretary at the NPA… I never… I never thought any of _this_ would happen. I'm not sure I'm even fit to become a fake detective nevertheless a real one."

The anxiety in her voice was apparent. L had a feeling she would be hesitant. "Do not fret because with my, and Watari's, guidance and training, you will develop the skills of my level one day."

"What about my family?" she inquired, squeezing the pillow tighter.

"Visits with them are allowed, however, I still advise you to careful. You may not see them as frequently due to the ongoing investigation. Also, they won't know about your position as L, for safety reasons."

Swallowing the fear and anxiety in her throat, Aiko let out a deep breath of air. Her wandering eyes slithered back up to the detective. "So, you'll teach me? Train me to become just like you?"

The raven's eyes flashed grimly. "You may not want to become someone exactly like me. It can be a rather lonely life sometimes."

Smiling sadly, Aiko scooted closer to him until they sat right across from each other. "Well it can't be _too_ lonely. I mean, you've got Watari." She paused before adding sweetly, "And you've got me now."

As he studied her, L felt that his plan was beginning to fall into place. The others would be surprised that _she_ , their intern, is the greatest detective in the world, but they wouldn't defy her just yet. She would gain their trust, then Light's, and then-

Misa.

The only foreseen obstacle in the way. But that would be taken care of later on.

Aiko reached out her hand to him. "It's a deal then, L. I'll be your stand-in. You be my mentor. Together, we'll stop Kira and change the world." Slowly, like a cautious animal, L's hand met hers. Despite his lack of experience with physical contact, his handshake was as firm as his stoic eyes.

Everything was going according plan…

* * *

The stage was set in less than an hour. L's room was on complete lockdown from the others to make sure none of the Task Force members accidentally popped in and found out their secret- and cameras were hidden throughout the suite, just like they would be for every hotel they stayed in, so the real L could keep an eye on the whole team. Though, it's not like he would always need to- he's been through this before.

When Watari and Aiko returned from a quick visit to Aiko's apartment, she changed from her work outfit (which consisted of only grey skirts, white shirts, and suit jackets) to a black turtleneck and jeans. She would return to her apartment later on to get the rest of her stuff since she would practically be moving in with L and Watari.

L would observe in his room during the meetings, using a microphone to listen to the conversation and an earpiece to talk to Aiko so she would know what to say. When the Task Force leaves, the three remaining would discuss any important topics between themselves.

Finally… it was about time for the Task Force to arrive.

Aiko returned from a bathroom break to find L staring out a large window behind the cream yellow couch. "They should be here any minute," she told him, approaching him on his left. "Shouldn't you go back to your room?"

A soft sigh escaped his lips. He had been thinking about Kira… it frustrated him that he knew he was right, that Light was the killer, but he didn't have physical evidence to prove it just yet. If it were that easy, Light would be behind bars right now.

"Kira and I are getting closer to each other in equal steps," he stated, his voice low and riveting. "It's only a matter of time before we collide."

"Then so be it," Aiko added. The detective turned to her, his eyes obscured by his wild black hair. "When he comes, we'll be ready." This comforted L, only slightly.

The raven returned to his dark lair to make sure everything was set up. Watari joined Aiko in the main room, scanning her new appearance. "A plain outfit for a first impression," he said, a hint of amusement hidden in his tone. "You two are more similar than I realized."

Flashing a sincere grin, Aiko fixed her long brown hair and straightened her back. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Giving a quick nod to Watari, the intern cleared her throat. "It's unlocked. Please, come in."

* * *

 **Hello my lovely readers! Wow you guys, thanks so much for the reviews/favs/follows! I didn't expect a lot just because I randomly wrote this one night, but now I'm giving it much more thought. It's very interesting, and in some aspects challenging, to write using L's mindset, but I'm trying my best to make it intriguing! Things can only go up from here, right? It'll be suspenseful, mysterious, amusing, and adventurous!**

 **Again, I'm not sure how long I'm going to make this story overall, so bear with me. I'm kind of winging it as I go so... hehehe... *ahem* As to romance (because duh) I'm wondering whether or not I even want to make a main relationship. If you could, please let me know in the review box below whether or not you wanna see some romance, and with whom! It would really help!**

 **Thanks for all the reviews/favs/follows! :D Until next time! ~**


	3. Slowly Unfolding

The Task Force gaped in unison as they laid their eyes upon the girl in front of them. "I am L," she stated simply, showing off her best smile and sparkling eyes. This was it, no backing out now.

All five pairs of eyes stared at her like she was an alien. Or a celebrity. Either way, the constant attention was unnerving, and they had only arrived just a minute ago.

"A-Aiko?!" Matsuda, of course, was the first one to blurt out anything. "You're not serious, are you?"

The Chief attempted a silencing glare at the rookie, but he, too, felt an overwhelming tide of surprise. "Ms. Maki, are you supposed to be L's stand-in?"

Of course, obviously. "I am L," she repeated, more firmly this time. To be a great actress, she had to be confident and pretend like everything was true, even though it wasn't even close. Her sudden steadfast, unyielding behavior had the five men reconsidering how much they actually knew about their new intern. She's the real L?

"I'm sorry," Aiko apologized, but not sincerely. "My crammed mind is a forgetful one I'm afraid. What were your names again?" Luckily she could play the forgetful card since she had only been working as an intern for a week.

Hesitantly, each of them displayed their IDs and stated their full names. " _Fools,"_ L said within her ear, causing her to internally jump. " _Tell them that if you were Kira, all of them would be dead. Oh, and I would prefer you use the finger gun to throw them off."_

Finger gun? L's child-like side was showing. Making her right hand look like a gun, she aimed it at them and said with a giggle, "Bang!" They froze, eyeing her with confusion.

"What the hell was that?" questioned Aizawa. He was always the most serious, grumpy one in the group. L experienced first hand how his pride forced him to exclude himself from the investigation for a period of time when the Task Force's funding was discontinued, but that occurs far from now.

Aiko frowned, rather disappointed that they were so easily defeated. "Well, if I were Kira, you would be dead right now." Her eyes flickered to the Chief. "Mr. Soichiro Yagami of the NPA. Didn't you know- Kira needs a face and a name to kill someone. Next time, don't be so careless."

" _Instead,"_ L commented, " _let's value our lives."_ Although it was strange for the detective to be reliving these moments and repeating most of these phrases, it all came naturally to him, like it was something that needed to be said.

" _Let's get this meeting started,"_ L commanded. In his room, he positioned the computer screen that had a visual of the camera in the main room, then took a sip of his freshly brewed drink with extra sugar cubes.

Clearing her throat, Aiko interrupted their idle chitchat. "Please follow me so we can begin. Turn off all your cellphones, handhelds, and any other communication devices and leave them on the table right there." The brunette matched L's words perfectly, even pointing them to the coffee table.

Again, Aizawa stepped forward with a sour remark. "What, you think we're gonna be using our cellphones during this meeting to leak information?" It would seem no matter what gender L was, Aizawa wasn't taking crap from anyone.

The Chief silenced him before Aiko could outwardly repeat the sharp reply L accidentally made. "Thank you," Aiko said when everyone settled into the next room. "Honestly, I can't stand it when people's cellphones are ringing while I'm trying to talk."

The meeting proceeded just as it had before, despite Aiko's position as L. The famous detective made no move to change anything as it happened before- even the smallest rupture or diversion could leave him stranded in the unknown. He _had_ to have the upper hand in this; if he was on top, there was no way he could die again.

Being the devoted intern she was, Aiko unknowingly obeyed L in all his ways. Whatever his motives, she had a wistful, almost faint, sense that she could trust him for some reason, even with her life. Thus, she was firm in sacrificing hers for the sake of… well, for the sake of whatever he had planned.

No notes were taken, questions were asked, and Aiko mimicked L's phrases and instructions without hesitation. Understandably the Task Force members were reluctant to believe that a young girl, their own intern, had a double life as the world's greatest detective, but the more they listened, the more they were able to trust her. Of course, their hesitation was the same when dealing with the real L the first time.

However, this time around, Matsuda seemed more surprised, a look of bewilderment on his face. "Aiko-er, L, I can't believe-"

"Matsuda," Aiko sighed, straying away from L's script. "In public, call me Aiko. But here, in private, please just address me as Kaiya." The rookie bit his tongue, catching himself before silently nodding.

Everything else went accordingly. "Kira is childish and really hates losing." "We will use the media to draw him out." L's words and Aiko's voice formed a harmonious pair, luring the members in with the taste of sweet intelligence.

"Kira works alone." _Light Yagami is the culprit we're looking for_ the detective wanted to say, but he suppressed the urge just enough. "He had access to all of our classified information." "To a certain extent, he can control his victim's time of death and actions before dying."

Concerned at first, Aiko was hesitant to draw out the timeline of events L began describing, but his details to only her came across clear and crisp, her hand and mouth moving by separate forces as she spoke and listened at the same time.

December 14: Twelve FBI investigators enter Japan. December 19: Kira conducts experiments with certain inmates, displaying the fact that he could manipulate his victims before they died. "In a window of five days, Kira became aware of the FBI's presence and clearly felt threatened."

December 27: Kira somehow discovers the names of the twelve FBI agents, successfully killing all of them. That "somehow" was obvious to L- he remembered that the video of FBI Agent Raye Penber's death would soon be revealed, as well as the fact that Raye had a folder when he arrived on the transit, but didn't have one when he died on the platform. It was clear Raye was most likely forced by Kira to hand over the list of names, but the detective couldn't get ahead of himself just yet.

"I suspect Kira had to be one of the people being investigated by the FBI between the 14th and the 19th of December." L's voice grew solemn and hard in Aiko's ear. "In fact, I have no doubt."

Aiko made known the pile of informational files and let the members briefly talk amongst themselves, positive anticipation filling the atmosphere.

Mr. Yagami then slightly ruined the lighter mood. "Does the fact that you've shown your face mean you've lost? By just being here are you admitting defeat to Kira."

" _I haven't lost,"_ L whispered, his voice low and fierce. " _In fact, I'm not even relative close to losing. And I don't plan on it, not again."_

The brunette adjusted her glasses, clearing her throat hesitantly. _What does he mean by "not again"?_ She seriously wasn't supposed to repeat that, was she?

Thankfully, L noticed his slip up and instantly changed his sentence entirely. " _Don't say that. Tell them… "_

"That's right," she finally spoke, repeating L's words. Her blue eyes scanned everyone's faces carefully from under her glasses. Her voice was calm and tender. "By showing my face to you know, and by sacrificing the lives of twelve FBI agents, I have lost the battle." Suddenly, she turned firm. "But I'm not gonna lose the war. This is the first time I've ever put my life on the line. I want to show Kira that we're all willing to risk our lives if that's what it takes."

From her invisible earpiece, Aiko could practically hear the great detective smile, his pale skin brightening with hope and determination. " _Justice will prevail no matter what."_

Suddenly, her voice shut down. No one else noticed that she didn't repeat his sentence, seeing as how they loosened up and began commenting positively amongst themselves. No one else noticed her heart suddenly skipping beats, her pulse beating faster.

 _Where have… where have I heard this before?_ Although he wasn't here, Aiko could practically picture his smile, the way his lips curved and eyes twinkled with a dark radiance. Something about this moment seemed familiar, but… she tried to ignore it, push away the thought like a bug.

Like the tide rolling in, the slight confusion of Aiko's was washed away, and she followed L's next words, announcing the private meetings with each of the members. Honestly, Aiko wasn't looking forward to it, but it was apart of the job.

" _You can roam around if you want,"_ L suggested. " _No, I'd much rather prefer you to get up. Besides, it will give you some time to think and regenerate before we begin again."_ Obediently, she wandered toward the window.

Even so… her heart skipped a beat at the sound of L's voice.

* * *

 **Hello my lovely readers! Okay guys I'm am** _ **very**_ **sorry, but I just haven't had time to keep writing this. These updates will definitely be erratic so just, um, stay strapped in and enjoy the ride? I know this was a really short chapter, but this was all I completed so… there you go!**

 **And don't worry, I'll have more time this summer, too. However, I don't plan on making this a long story. Originally it was just a one-shot, but now I'm** _ **hoping**_ **it won't be under ten chapters total.**

 **Until next chapter! ~**


	4. To Save Or Not To Save

_Naomi Misora._ That name subconsciously rang out in L's mind as he nibbled on a cracker. He was absorbed in thought, staring blankly out the window of the current hotel room, perched on a sitting chair facing the view of the city around them. Like many problems in his personal life, he tried to ignore it, slightly hoping it would go away but knowing it would remain there as a ghost.

Aiko rolled over on the couch next to him, black-framed glasses set on the coffee table, curling her body close in a fetal-like position as she lay in a light sleep. A full performance as the greatest detective in the world was not an effortless task. Having to conduct private meetings (under the direction of L) in the very early morning must have worn her out.

The woman of mysterious confidence, Raye Penber's fiance, was like a tiny alarm going off in L's head. His first interaction with her was, what felt like, ages ago, when she had been involved in Beyond Birthday's murders (LA BB Murder Case). Chronologically, the next mentioning of her name was from Watari when he informed L of her disappearance.

 _Disappearance… Right after an FBI agent dies, his fiance, who has exemplary detective skills, goes missing… Not a coincidence, obviously._ Distraught from her lover's death, Misora seeks revenge against Kira, whom she probably figured out did the killing. One thing led to another and she stepped across too many boundaries, must have come into contact with Kira. Thus, he was forced to kill her.

 _She knew too much… there's not chance he would let her off the hook. Kira-Light- must have made her murder seem like a disappearance._ If Misora had info on Kira, she would not have kept it to herself. No, she'd worked with L before, which meant she trusted him. She would go to him.

L lifted his head, like dipping his head out from a pool of thought. "Aiko." His monotone voice echoed throughout the room, bouncing off the walls yet not hitting the sleeping girl.

Solution? He threw a cracker at her exposed face. In fact, he threw about three until she finally stirred. "Huh?" Wiping the crumbs off her forehead, she sat up and looked strangely at L, a mask of leftover weariness still lingering. "What is it, L?"

"What time is it?" he inquired, almost selfishly. Of course he could look at the clock, but it was behind him and he had no desire to twist his body uncomfortably around.

With a glance at the ticking clock behind him, she replied, a dose of sleepiness still in her voice, "Twenty minutes 'til eleven in the morning. Hey, I thought you were gonna let me sleep until the Task Force returned?" Her question was also slightly selfish; there was a limited number of things she cared for more than sleep.

The first time through, the interrogation of the Task Force members would have taken L all night and morning to get through, but this time he had the upper hand. Questions were quick and before too much time passed, the members were allowed to go home for rest and recuperation for a brief amount of time.

"We have work to do," he replied, slipping out of his seat to log onto the nearby computer. Watari must in the kitchen making tea and desserts. "And by we I clearly mean you."

Aiko waited patiently for L to elaborate, watching him type quickly on the laptop while the abiding drowsiness left her system. A cappuccino would be great at the moment.

An image was pulled up on the screen, so she joined him at the table for a better view. The picture was of a woman, straight black hair, a faded eye color, and pale skin. "Naomi Misora, former FBI agent and fiance of Raye Penber. Penber was one of the 12 FBI agents killed on the 27th." She looked almost… familiar to Aiko.

"What do you want me to do?" the girl asked, taking a mental snapshot of the woman's face.

 _If she went to the police, she would have probably done so today… however, there is no one from the Task Force at the NPA until I would send Aizawa over there later, and Misora does not make an appearance while he or anyone else is there… which means she would have had to come sometime before one-thirty in the afternoon. If I had more time, I would ask Yagami where his son is at the moment, but that would take too long and we haven't the time to waste._

"Go down to the police station incognito and wait for her there," L instructed. "If she does not arrive by one-thirty, please return here." There is a small percentage that having her seen by Aizawa or anyone else would cause a conflict that L did not want to deal with at the moment. Besides, Aizawa was too stubborn to let anything go.

Admittedly, Aiko was slightly confused. Why leave at one-thirty, what's so significant about that time? Nevertheless, she knew better than to question the wise L, though his motives totally flew over her head.

Black sweatshirt, hood over her head, dark jeans, brown boots; Aiko didn't have an outfit that was over-the-top mysterious, but it was better to go casual than to get caught. Soon she was another nameless figure hiding among the crowd of passersby. Undetected.

A split second of doubt crossed his mind- should he have gone instead? _No_. Showing his face was the mistake he made last time. Albeit it sounding cold, but meeting Naomi Misora for a brief moment was not worth risking the control he had.

* * *

Two hours. About two hours of stalking the entrance of the police station, she finally showed. Aiko was almost sure she wouldn't, obviously at the end of her sanity. Was there a method to L's madness? Would he ever let her in on what he was doing and _why_ he was doing it?

Doubt circled her mind like a stormcloud when suddenly she caught a glimpse of a dark coated figure approaching the building. From her spot by the trees, she visibly relaxed; Naomi Misora.

Except, it wasn't _just_ Naomi. There was another person, a man, with her. Tall, wearing a tan coat, brown hair. The distant sight alone struck a chord somewhere in her. Who was this guy with Naomi?

Aiko was at a difficult crossroads, a problem she was unprepared to face. Her "boss" told her to get Naomi Misora and bring her back to the hotel. But he _also_ said not to let anyone else see her.

The decision was overwhelmed by the ticking timer in the back of her mind. Naomi had stopped heading for the station, was she going to leave?

There was only one thing- one _person_ \- she could count on for certain. "Hey, L, we have a problem." She decided to call him. "There's someone else with Naomi. A man." Even over the phone, the detective's frown was palpable. "Tell me what to do, L."

 _Tell me what to do, L._ For some reason he chose to push to the back of his mind, the detective liked that sentence and the way she said it. " _Do not make contact,"_ L quickly decided. " _It's important that you do not let him see you."_

Whoever this man was, she knew he was dangerous and on L's radar, just by the way he spoke. Before she left, she made sure she got a good look at his face, taking another mental snapshot. But why did he seem so familiar?

* * *

 _Goodbye Naomi Misora._ L had one chance at saving her from death- most likely more than that, if he had thought about her sooner. The sweet victory of ripping an innocent life from Kira's grasp was at the tips of his fingertips, but tragically crushed in an instant.

 _Kira… your sense of justice is only fitting to your perception._ L despised him, _hated_ his motives, his killing. _God of a new world? Ignorant. Killing innocent people isn't something God would do. No, you're not the hero you think you are._

Aiko entered the secret room (with Watari distracting the team members with new badges and belts) dragging her feet as if an invisible weight held her down. When she approached L, she couldn't quite meet his eyes. "L, what happened to Naomi Misora?"

He knew she would begin to ask questions. "She is gone."

"What do you mean 'gone?' Did she run away? Go back to America?"

"No."

Silence confirmed that he had no intention of explaining. But Aiko wasn't going to go along with his decisions anymore and sit idly by in the dark. "You can't just do that to me." To prove her seriousness, she knelt in front of the chair he was perched in. "It's just you and me. I…" She paused thoughtfully. "I can't trust you if you don't let me in on stuff."

He let out a single, dry, bitter laugh. "It is significantly more complicated than you believe." _Time reversed almost an entire year, I'm living through the same thing over again, and I die if I do not manipulate the outcomes to lead to victory against Kira._

Aiko frowned, unsatisfied. "How would you know, you haven't told me." His silence once again proved as an answer. Shaking her head, she looked at the floor in solemn disappointment. "I'm sorry. I know you don't trust me."

"On the contrary," L snapped, confused with her false conclusion, "the only reason you are here is because I trust you. Why do you think I chose you as my substitute instead of one of them?"

"Because no one out there would be willing to give up their identity to be L."

"That was a rhetorical question." His monotone, deadpanned response was enough to make her laugh. L could feel himself relaxing with the more comfortable atmosphere. "Believe me when I say that I trust you Aiko-chan. Not as much as Watari, but be proud to be my honorable second."

Another laugh, another smile. But still doubt. "I just don't understand why you won't let me in."

He gave a small, bittersweet smile. "Because you might think I am deserving of a mental asylum."

"Haven't you already proved that?"

"Aiko-chan is not being very respectful while I'm trying to explain."

"Sorry, please continue."

L chose his words with thought and precision. "I have been given a second chance to catch a murderer and save the world from impending doom." Actually, that wasn't very thought out as he'd hoped.

"A second chance?" Aiko repeated with a curious tilt of her head. "When was your first."

Don't say it- "One year from now." _Well, she did want the truth. And now she is certainly getting it._ Objectively, Aiko was right in seeking fairness. Trust was a two-way street, or so people said.

"One year from now?"

"Please stop repeating what I say. I cannot understand what you want from me when you do that."

"Okay… What do you mean by 'one year from now?'" It seemed like a puzzle L needed her to solve to prove her intelligence. "Did you have a dream about the future?"

 _More like a nightmare._ "So to speak… Actually, many possibilities have been thought of, but I think I have narrowed it down to the most logical one." But logical didn't apply to reversing time. "I believe time itself turned backwards, singling me out as the only one who remembers it."

Unconvinced, Aiko laughed. "Really L? That's the best you could come up with? Alright, if that's true, then tell me one thing that happens in the future."

 _You wouldn't want to know. I die, Watari dies, Light wins._ What would be enough to prove L's reality? "The Task Force watches video surveillance of the death of Raye Penber. He is seen getting on the transit with an envelope, leaving without one, then dying on the platform. He-"

"Something more," Aiko interrupted. "You could have easily watched the surveillance clips while I was gone."

Touche, a fair point. "Very well. After an informant gives us information on the disappearance of Misora, Watari will set up security cameras and wiretaps in the Yagami household as part of the investigation. Soichiro's son, Light, will arrive home and go up to his room, which he goes to great lengths to keep secured as if he was hiding something. Then he will leave briefly, only to return with an explicit magazine that he reads on his bed."

Was that enough information? "Wow," Aiko replied, slightly surprised, "that was a lot of detail, I'm impressed."

"You will be even more so when it proves to be accurate."

"I guess we'll have to wait and see, won't we?" The girl stood to leave and address the others, but she paused to add, "Wait, what is Soichiro's son's name again?"

"Light Yagami." Aiko winced at the name, instinctively hissing and rubbing her forehead. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," she answered, brushing it off casually. "Just a migraine or something. I just… I _swear_ I've heard of him before."

L noted the recognition that crossed her eyes. _Is she starting to regain her memories? It could only be a matter of time before she begins piecing everything together._

That was a good thing. Then maybe L wouldn't feel so alone anymore.

* * *

 **Hi. *waves* I'm back from my hiatus. When was the last time I updated this, April? To be honest, I never actually planned to return, but I was just itching to finish this story. And I'm glad I came back, I can't wait to see where this goes! Sorry for any spelling errors or mistakes, I kind of just started writing and didn't stop. Hope you enjoy it, there is definitely more to come.**

 **Questions, comments, concerns? Type 'um in the box below! Until next time~!**


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